♥
Life's Inspirational Valiant Endeavors
~ The Wings of Life ~
"A Love Story That Feeds The Earth"
We, in our attempts to keep our children safe,
our own bodies relatively free of painful venom and mad dashes to the ER,
our lawns immaculate,
and our homes, literally, from falling in around us,
have become accustomed to guilt-free, justifiable extermination.
I will be the first to admit,
my number one priority on my Spring Cleaning list is
to stock up on Wasp, Hornet and Ant spray!
There is no love lost there, nor really, blink of an eye.
I'll step over an ant hill in my front yard...
"Live and Let Live", I preach to my kids,
taking a knee for further investigation and awe.
I'll shoo a wasp out the back rather than swat them into oblivion
as they stumble indoors, effectively dazed from the Spring thaw.
I'll even show the appropriate amount of respect for the tenacity of a yellow jacket,
having arrived at the watering can first, waiting patiently for him to move on.
But...
(and Behold the Underlying Truth)
by the time the dog days of Summer arrive
and the little tiny ant army has set up camp on my kitchen counters,
and those confused little wasps have begun an all out attack
on any human body part waving about the water's edge of our pool...
and that lone, thirsty, insignificant little yellow jacket
has laid claim to that hole in the ground beneath the Redbud tree,
all jacked up on hummingbird nectar
and hanging out on the corner with his no good warrior-ing friends...
Well then, the kid gloves come off!
Even those pesky little honey bees are obnoxious
with their cute little fuzzy butt stingers,
and their super sweet golden honey,
and their unnaturally industrious work habits.
I mean, whichever one of those little over-achievers
came up with the genius marketing ploy
to Save The Earth One Flower At a Time...
well, maybe they should rethink their strategy of World Domination.
Who needs flowers anyway?
And all-natural sugar in a cute little plastic bear... who needs that?
And pollination,
And protecting 1/3 of our world community's food resources...
Yeah. Who needs that?
Why should I have to wear shoes in my own backyard?
I'm hopscotching my way, barefooted, around the clover
to get to the clothes line and the garden and the mailbox!
It's a wee bit ridiculous, don't ya think,
worrying over mowing twice a week,
and all to save the cute little bees and the cute little environment?
Who needs the environment?
Ummmm... yeah.
I'm having to think twice about spraying my roses and my lawn with pesticides.
And now,
in addition to feeding the hummingbirds and songbirds,
and keeping the squirrels busy with ears of corn on a stick,
I have to be picky about the plants I choose to plant in my flower garden.
Why should I care about planting
to conserve our water resources or feeding the starving bees?
It's just not right.
Right?
Now... C'mon.
( I remind my bad habits, my melodramatic tendencies, my inborn traditions...)
Where's the love for our planet, for our future?
Seriously, how hard can it be
(pun intended)
to pour a little milk on your roses to cure black rot and other mildew,
or soapy dish water on aphids and Japanese beetles and slugs and spider mites,
or to simply ask to see the *Native* flowers section in your local nursery
to cut down on the need for watering,
while also providing the most beneficial flowers for your bees?
Where's the hard in that?
We can all stand to take a closer look this year at how we're harming... or helping.
The simple truth is...
We *Need* Bees
and
Bees *Need* We... The People!
So, look into your heart and your garden sprays
and see what you can do about saving the little Bees knees!
Want to Build a Bee House?
Want to Plant for Pollinators?
Want to join your world community in doing your share?
Well then, take a look at:
Louie Schwartzberg,
the award-winning, cinematographer, director and producer of
and see what he has to say about "rediscovering your sense of wonder".
And when you've found it...
Don't stop there. Please.
What's "Easy", isn't always what's Right.
*YOU*
Can make a difference!
Wisdom, Honor & Passion
My Friends!
"The best way out is always through."
~ Robert Frost ~
"The best way out is always through."
~ Robert Frost ~
Wow. What a great post!! Humour, facts and harsh realities....what a brilliant combination. This could easily persuade me to become more of an environmentalist than I already am. More power to you!!
ReplyDeletePersuasion is my strong suit.
DeleteAction, well... I have to say, that's the hard part.
I try to remind myself, and others, when I can that the hard part is mostly of our own making.
Old habits are hard to break.
Disillusionment ties our hands.
I don't know that we have the time anymore for playing the waiting game.
I'm so glad you stopped in, Jeff! It's good know there's someone in my corner.
I have a live and let live policy...until they come in the house...then the fly swatter drops.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, Elizabeth! The stingers get my attention REAL Quick!
DeleteI'm a bee supporter but but I can't bear the sugar ants. I tried cinnamon and every other organic solution and finally, when they invaded my cupboards and I found them crawling on my children, I picked up some good old fashioned ant traps.
ReplyDeleteCupboard and Children Crawlies would send me over the top, too, Johanna! *G*
DeleteI have no problem with the little guys, when they stay on their side of the front door. It just creeps me out (like Brad Paisley's song, "I'd Like To Check You For Ticks"... ew!... creeps me out) when I wake up to see them on my kitchen counters!
I hear Chili Powder, sprinkled in front of your doors, works. You never know. Maybe your sugar ants had an irrational allergy to Cinnamon. OR... maybe they're just smart. Little smartants! *g*
As much as I do try the organic route first, generally, I have little patience for six and eight legged critters in my house. As I have also hardened, apparently, in my old age when our kitties find mice. "Cute kitty. Take it outside to play now."
The honeybees, however, I do everything in my power to attract them to the appropriate bee-friendly places around our yard, and never ever intentionally kill them. Unless, of course, they end up with their butt stuck to my tender parts! And even then, I certainly didn't do it on purpose. I'm not a sadist!
I loved the video! Thanks for sharing. I used to have a mason bee hive. But one year the winter was too harsh and they didn't make. I miss those friendly, hardworking bees.
ReplyDeleteYou should have heard the collective groans of disapproval from my family when I suggested we keep bees. I gave in to their fears and mine when I realized after a little more research on the subject, that I could expect to be stung when working with the bees.
DeleteNot so keen on the whole stinging thing. I thought I could just sneak up on 'em in the night and collect my honey. *g* (Kidding)
"So, look into your heart and your garden sprays
ReplyDeleteand see what you can do about saving the little Bees knees!" Amen, Sister. Excellent, excellent post.
I try to find a new way to be Green every day. Why work against Mother Earth, when it's really not difficult to work with Her? It's merely a matter of switching a bad habit for a good one.
I'm really looking forward to checking out your links above! I'd also like to recommend: Outwitting Critters, by Bill Adler, Jr. and Shoes in the Freezer, Beer in the Flower Bed by Joan and Lydia Wilen. Both books are fun to read and have plenty of Green tips.
Your post has inspired me to pull those books off the shelf and get ready for summer. Thanks, Scarlett :)
LOVE the sound of these good reads! "Shoes in the Freezer, Beer in the Flower Bed"? Wha?!
DeleteI agree! I do occasionally have to slap my hand, though, when I find myself cussing the critter problem itself. I really detest having to choose between ME and THEM.
It sure has been a BEAUTIFUL Spring here in the mid-west! Still haven't gotten into my garden yet, though! Tiller died. Hell-O hoe! My new best bud!